Aerobic Activity

I prefer running for cardiovascular fitness. I have always wanted to run a sub-20 minute 5K. So, I was thinking that a speed program at the desired speed, 9.0 on a treadmill or 6:40/mile pace on Monday and Fridays, incrementing as the current level becomes easy.

0.25 miles with 0.25 mile recovery walks, moving up one from 4 to 12 reps

0.5 miles with 0.25 mile recovery walks, moving up one from 2 to 6 reps

0.75 miles with 0.25 mile recovery walks, moving up one from 2 to 4 reps

1 mile with 0.25 mile recovery walks, moving up one from 1 to 3 reps

1.5 miles with 0.25 mile recovery walks, moving up one from 1 to 3 reps

2 miles with 0.25 mile recovery walks, moving up one from 1 to 2 reps

2.5 miles with 0.25 mile recovery walks, moving up one from 1 to 2 reps

3 miles at one rep.

On Tuesday & Thursdays, it’s an easy 4 miles. On Wednesday, it’s either a easy 6-10 miles, an easy 4 miler or a rest day, depending on how I’m feeling. I’m not sure how long this kind of program will take, but I think taking two years seems like an achievable time frame.

Moderate Intensity Muscle-Building

But, the burpee program I came up with was positively brutal. I wanted to avoid making the same mistake this time, and keeping this easy.

This year, I spent some time revisiting The Hacker’s Diet, and I think his idea of having a low-intensity, low-time commitment exercise regime that can be done daily and anywhere is a good one. I took his program, and modified it to include a stepped program that increases 7% from 10 up to ~200 of bends (hands over head, legs spread, touch toes and return), sit-ups (hands across chest), skydivers (one rep, 4-count, hands to head and legs), push-ups, scissors (one rep, 4-count), jump squats, planks (front, back, each side for X seconds and 20 second rest period in between each), and jumping jacks (one rep, 4-count).

Each exercise is done for one set. The first rung takes less than 15 minutes. It’s easy to start, but it has the potential to become seriously challenging as you progress.

Modified Hacker’s Diet Exercise Program

Rung

Bend

Sit-up

Skydivers

Push-up

Scissors

J-Squats

4-Planks

Jacks

1

10

10

10

10

10

10

45

10

2

11

11

11

11

11

11

50

11

3

11

11

11

11

11

11

50

11

4

12

12

12

12

12

12

50

12

5

13

13

13

13

13

13

55

13

6

14

14

14

14

14

14

55

14

7

15

15

15

15

15

15

60

15

8

16

16

16

16

16

16

60

16

9

17

17

17

17

17

17

65

17

10

18

18

18

18

18

18

65

18

11

20

20

20

20

20

20

70

20

12

20

21

21

21

21

21

70

21

13

20

23

23

23

23

23

75

23

14

20

24

24

24

24

24

75

24

15

20

26

26

26

26

26

80

26

16

20

28

28

28

28

28

80

28

17

20

30

30

30

30

30

85

30

18

20

32

32

32

32

32

85

32

19

20

34

34

34

34

34

90

34

20

20

36

36

36

36

36

90

36

21

20

39

39

39

39

39

95

39

22

20

41

41

41

41

41

95

41

23

20

44

44

44

44

44

100

44

24

20

47

47

47

47

47

100

47

25

20

51

51

51

51

51

105

51

26

20

54

54

54

54

54

105

54

27

20

58

58

58

58

58

110

58

28

20

62

62

62

62

62

110

62

29

20

66

66

66

66

66

115

66

30

20

71

71

71

71

71

115

71

31

20

76

76

76

76

76

120

76

32

20

81

81

81

81

81

120

81

33

20

87

87

87

87

87

120

87

34

20

93

93

93

93

93

120

93

35

20

100

100

100

100

100

120

100

36

20

107

107

107

107

107

120

107

37

20

114

114

114

114

114

120

114

38

20

122

122

122

122

122

120

122

39

20

131

131

131

131

131

120

131

40

20

140

140

140

140

140

120

140

41

20

150

150

150

150

150

120

150

42

20

160

160

160

160

160

120

160

43

20

171

171

171

171

171

120

171

44

20

183

183

183

183

183

120

183

45

20

196

196

196

196

196

120

196

So, I’m going to give this a try next year, and I’ll report back on how it worked out.